


Red Strings

by MWolfe13



Series: HHBingo2020 [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Anakin and Hermione friendship, Because Clones Need More Love, Clones, F/M, HHBingo2020, I didn't even try to put other HP elements in here, Jedi, OOC Hermione, Soulmates, The muse didn't let me, Tropes&Fandoms2020, Wartime Romance, seriously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:15:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23126860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MWolfe13/pseuds/MWolfe13
Summary: The red string of fate was rare and true, even the Council won't mess with it. But Hermione never suspects her soulmate is a Clone.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/CT-7567 | Rex
Series: HHBingo2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1640023
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31
Collections: Hermione's Haven Bingo 2020, Tropes & Fandoms 2020





	Red Strings

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Hermione's Haven Bingo 2020 AND Tropes and Fandoms 2020 from Melting Pot FanFiction.
> 
> Square N4: Wartime Romance  
> Regular Square: Wartime Romance
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or Harry Potter. I'm just a tad bit obsessed with this combined sandbox at the moment.
> 
> I really am. My muse is on such a Star Wars kick at the moment, it's ridiculous. And she's ALWAYS on a Harry Potter train, so there's that. I'm certainly not sorry.

She had just been promoted from Padawan to Jedi Knight when she saw it.

The red string of fate.

Hermione hadn’t known what it was at the time. Soulmates weren’t talked about much in the Jedi Temple. It appeared as a gossamer red thread, flickering in the light one moment and gone the next. She’d honestly thought it a trick of the light and ignored it, but once it began appearing, it didn’t stop. Meditation, sparring, mission briefs; the vibrant string soon filled her vision until she couldn’t leave it be and went searching through the archives. Madame Jocasta had given her a knowing look and led her to a less popular section of their knowledge center.

It was the first time she’d even heard about Soulmates, much less read about them.

They weren’t frequent enough for everyone to have one, these matches to your soul. It was a wonder she’d never heard mention of them on missions with her Master. They would shimmer in and out of existence depending on how close the two people were to each other. When they finally came together, the string would wrap around them, sealing the bond for the rest of their lives. They’d always be able to locate the other, feel what they were feeling, some had even been known to develop telepathic capabilities. Hermione understood why the subject wasn’t brought up to the younglings or Padawans. Strong emotions were dangerous for a Jedi, and while her Master was a more lenient Jedi when it came to the code, others followed it to the letter.

She didn’t tell anyone about the discovery, realizing that her soulmate was probably not even on Coruscant so there would be nothing she could do about it until they located one another. With a galaxy this big, the odds were not in their favor.

* * *

The next time she really paid attention to the string, it was the Battle of Geonosis. 

Hermione always registered the flickering color, never really paying attention to it. When it did it again during the beginning of their fight in the arena, she noted the strange occurrence and moved on. There was no time to wonder why it was starting to blink madly in her peripherals. Jedi she’d grown up with, trained with, were going down like flies in their fight against the droids. She’d seen combat since she’d phased out of her youngling stage, but never like this. This was more than just a skirmish or a civil war. This was the beginning of a massive campaign, and the Jedi weren’t prepared.

“Hermione!”

She whipped around, bringing her lightsaber up, but the blaster bolts coming her way were stopped by the body in front of her. He hadn’t been there a minute ago.

Her hair had fallen out of the high ponytail she’d secured it in, something she only just noticed as she pushed it back in frustration and knelt by her former Master. All around them, the last of the strikeforce was grouping in a circle, but Hermione didn’t stand. Her tears were silent stains against her skin as she closed his eyes. Why? She would have deflected them.  _ Damn it, Master… _

Master Windu nudged her with his knee, a silent command. Hermione forced herself to get it together. Now was not the time. She grabbed the lightsaber that had been with her Master for years, locking down her grief as she’d learned to do with all negative emotions.

_ There is no emotion, there is peace. _

She could hear his words in her head as she stood, activating both lightsabers. The droids were no longer firing on them, but that ceasefire would not last forever. A feeling welled up inside of her, the Force running through all of them in direction. The red thread stopped blinking, solidifying into a sharp string Hermione could swear was real and in front of her. 

Master Yoda showed up with their backup, an army she would later learn during their debrief was made for the war against the Separatists. Hermione deflected as many blasts as she could, letting the remaining Jedi get onto the transports there to evacuate them. The door closed behind her and lifted, their fallen comrades left behind for now. Hermione vowed to come back for her Master’s body, forgetting in that instant that her soulmate must be on Geonosis for the strand of red to be completely visible.   


* * *

Hermione followed Master Kenobi onto the  _ Resolute _ , nodding as he gave her more details of her mission with Anakin Skywalker. It had been three months since that fateful day on Geonosis. She couldn’t say she was any better in her grief over losing her Master, but she was certainly better at hiding it. The Council had kept her busy, working with Commander Bly and Master Secura for the time being in various relief missions. The Separatists had wasted no time invading different systems. The war hadn’t been going on long, but she’d destroyed more droids than she could ever keep count of.

“I have to say, Hermione, I’m glad you’ll be going on this mission with Anakin. It requires a level of sensibility he has decided doesn’t apply to him.”

Hermione shook her head. “I’ve heard the term ‘Hero With No Fear’ more and more as the weeks go by. He’s making quite a name for himself.”

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. “Yes, that hasn’t helped matters.”

They walked into the command room where Anakin stood with a blond Clone Trooper and another officer that must be Admiral Yularen. The men turned at their entrance, but Hermione was watching the solid red string that had blinked into existence a second ago. It didn’t waver, the line almost taut as it connected Hermione to the last person she’d expected. 

The blond Clone Trooper who was watching the thread with confusion.

“Anakin, you remember Hermione Granger.”

“In passing.” Anakin nodded in greeting. “It’s good to see you again.” He seemed to remember something, his eyes lowering a bit. “I’m sorry about-”

Hermione’s eyes snapped to the other two Jedi, clearing her throat and giving him a thankful smile. “I appreciate it, Skywalker. You have an impressive ship.”

The Jedi took her change of subject in stride. “Thank you.” He gestured to the blond that was watching her with a frown. “This is Captain Rex of the 501st. He’s a good man to have at your back. He’ll be leading a small squad of troopers he’s selected himself on our mission.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Hermione gave him a hesitant smile. “I’ve heard good things about the 501st.”

Rex stood at attention, still frowning at her. “Thank you, General. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go brief my men.”

“Odd,” Anakin commented once he’d walked out of the room. “I sense confusion from him.”

Obi-Wan ran a hand over his beard, giving Hermione an apologetic look. “He was rather abrupt with you.”

Hermione waved her hand in the air, even as she felt her stomach drop. “I’m sure he’s just eager to get underway. I know I am.”

“Right.” Obi-Wan nods at them. “I’ll be taking my leave then. Do try to keep the damage to a minimum, Anakin.”

Anakin rolled his eyes. “Of course, Master.”

Obi-Wan gives him a look before turning and leaving the room. “Doesn’t he know the system we’re going to is filled with pirates?” Hermione snorted, “In my experience, the pirates cause all the damage. We just get blamed for it, because we actually make them  _ work _ to kill us.”

Anakin grinned. “Oh, I like you. We’re set to take off in a bit. Would you like me to show you to your room?”

Hermione shook her head, something telling her she should venture out on her own. The red string is still bright and visible. “Oh, I’ll find my way around. Let me know when we’re close.”

She didn’t have to wander the ship for long. She’d turned down a random hallway, internally struggling with the fact that her soulmate was on this ship-and a  _ Clone _ -when a door opened, and she was pulled in roughly. She wasn’t surprised to see Rex standing there. Red emanated from their bodies, surrounding them in a soft glow in the darkened room. “Captain.”

He let go of her arm, taking a few steps back. He scowled at her. “What is that?”

She arched a brow in disbelief. “What do you mean? Don’t you know about the string?”

Rex shook his head once. “Red strings coming from my body and connecting to someone else wasn’t in my training.”

“I see.” Hermione pulled her lip between her teeth. “Well… What do you know about soulmates?”

Rex stiffened. “Absolutely nothing, because Clones don’t have soulmates.”

She scoffed, “Who told you that? Soulmates are rare, but everyone has the potential to have one if the Force wills it.”

Rex took a step forward, his chest puffing out. Hermione imagined he was trying to be intimidating. She  _ did _ want to wrap her cloak around herself. This was  _ not _ how she imagined meeting her soulmates would be like, but she settled for crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re wrong. We were made for war, nothing else. Our creators didn’t see the need for us to have soulmates.”

Was he serious? “No one can take away what is deemed by the Force. Clones have just as much a chance as anyone else of having a soulmate.” She lifted her chin in defiance. “I happen to be yours. How unfortunate for both of us.” 

She turned on her heel, using the Force to open the door and slam it back shut as soon as she stepped through.   


* * *

“I’m sensing tension between you and my Captain, Granger.”

The words were a low rumble near her ear, too soft for anyone else to hear. It was just as well. They  _ were _ trying to remain undetected, after all. Hermione didn’t spare Anakin a glance, continuing her watch of the command center from the hatch they’d squeezed into. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Skywalker.”

“Please.” She could hear the sneer in his voice. “The negativity between the two of you can’t be cut, even by a lightsaber.” He waited for her reply, but when none came, he sighed, “Okay. Look, it’s none of my business-”

“Thank you for noticing.”

He went on as if he hadn’t heard her. “But if Rex has done anything, I need to know. He reports directly under me.”

Hermione’s eyes narrowed when one of the consoles gave a beep, one of the droids walking to it to check it out. “Your Captain hasn’t done anything, Anakin. Our gripe with each other is personal.” 

“I didn’t realize you knew each other.”

“We don’t.”

Their stealth went to shit after that, the Clones providing a big enough distraction that Anakin had decided all the droids on board needed to die in one big battle. That hadn’t been the plan. In fact, their original mission had been postponed due to the Separatist blockade surrounding the planet they were supposed to be on. Hermione had no problems with deviation, but they didn’t count on the droid commander having a pre-arranged signal to alert the entire ship to intruders. Now they were running to catch up with their team, deflecting shots from the enemy along the way.

Her back slammed against a wall. “This ship is going to go down with no one at the controls. We need to get off.”

“I know. Rex isn’t answering on the comms.”

Hermione looked down at the steady red light coming from her chest. He was still on the ship. “Follow me.”

That was one of the things she liked about this Jedi. He had no hesitation, no fear. She couldn’t think of any other person who would have followed her just like that. They carved a path through the droids, Hermione following what only she could see. She could hear the sounds of fighting the closer they got to Rex and his squad.

The Captain barely spared them a glance when they joined him behind cover. Their ship was so close. “Generals, the ship is starting to descend. Our comms were destroyed. We couldn’t reach you.”

“There’s no one piloting. We need to get off.” Anakin clapped her on the back. “You can thank Granger for finding you guys. She was more in tune with the Force than I was.”

Hermione didn’t say anything, ignoring the helmet that looked her way. Rex would know it hadn’t been the Force that led her to them, not exactly. Her eyes cautiously glanced inside the hanger, grimacing at all the droids that were surrounding their ship. “Just to be clear, everyone knows how to pilot, right?”

“Of course,” Another Clone answered. She was almost sure his name was Fives.

“Great. Skywalker and I will take down the droids. You get the ship ready and start taking off. Don’t close the hanger until we’re inside.”

Rex started to protest. “Sir-”

“It’s a sound idea,” Anakin said. “We’ll keep them off of you. Go as soon as we start clearing the way.”

Hermione and Anakin looked at each other, nodded once, and ran out the doors. Hermione jumped, using the Force to propel herself to the first cluster of droids waiting for orders. Her lightsaber was swinging as soon as she touched the ground. She could see mechanical parts flying from her peripherals, followed by brief white and blue armor as the Clone squad ran for the ship. She spun, destroying the blasters of the next droid squad and used the Force to push them back against a tower of crates.

She heard the sounds of their ship firing up. It was time to go. Turning, she noticed the ship was already in the air. A familiar Clone was standing inside, blaster at the ready. Anakin was already running for it, using another droid as a stepping stool to jump onto the open ramp. Shaking her head, Hermione started making her way over. She started running, wanting to get a little closer before she jumped. 

She started to leap, her legs bunching to give her power. She heard the shots, felt the Force warn her, and had to abandon her escape to block the bright blasts that would have hit her otherwise. Super Battle Droids marched to her, their only target, continuously firing. She kept her lightsaber spinning in a practiced pattern, grabbing the second one she kept at her hip and activating it. The technique, while useful in protecting someone on all sides from blasters, was tiring. Hermione was going to have to risk a jump.

Blue light sailed past her, followed rapidly by another, hitting the flaring spot that would take the droid down instantly. Anakin shouted for her to jump. Hermione didn’t question him. She flipped backward, calling on the Force to bring her to the ship. She landed on her knees in front of three sets of boots, two white and one black. The door closed, the ship speeding up and away from the Separatist cruiser.

A gloved hand reached down to her level. Hermione glanced up, accepting Rex’s assistance as she got to her feet. “Thank you for the save, Captain.”

She couldn’t see what he was thinking under that helmet of his. He dropped her hand, giving her a sharp nod in acknowledgment. “Simply doing my job, General.”   


* * *

The Force hated her, or loved her. Hermione wasn’t sure which at the moment.

After taking down the Separatist ship and completing their original mission on the planet, the Council had seen fit to assign her to the  _ Resolute _ more often. Anakin told her it was because they liked how they worked as a team. Hermione snarked back that they just loved how there was less damage to explain while she was around. 

It wasn’t all bad. She got to know the Clones in the 501st pretty well, developing a camaraderie with them. Anakin was much looser with command than Master Secura was. 

And then there was Rex.

The Captain remained stiff and formal with her, never budging an inch when it came to the bond between them. She knew his men were confused by his coldness towards her; she’d heard one of them ask about it once. Even Anakin was concerned that they couldn’t solve the personal issue between them. She’d refused to give him details when he asked again.

Hermione wasn’t sure why he was so resistant to the idea of soulmates. She could accept if it were her he didn’t want- _ maybe _ -, but his refusal to the notion of a soulmate period worried her. It was one of the reasons she hadn’t mentioned anything to anyone about their bond. She didn’t want anyone to interfere. 

She was walking down a hallway, reading a report on her datapad, when she bumped into armor. She looked up in irritation, breath catching when she saw it was Rex she’d hit. The ever-present red string was a bright glow between them. Rex scowled as soon as he noticed it.

Fives was standing next to him, giving her a grin when he saw it was her. “General! We were just going to grab a bite to eat. You want to join?”

If anything, the Captain’s frown deepened. Hermione internally rolled her eyes, shaking her head at Fives. “I’ll pass. I have to finish up this-”

Fives was already slinging an arm around her shoulder. “Nonsense. You Jedi need to loosen up and hang with the rest of us peons.”

Hermione gave him a stern frown. “Don’t think of yourselves like that. Clones-”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard the lecture.” He rubbed a gloved hand over her head. Hermione sighed because he’d done this before, and the hair he rubbed always became like static. “Come have a meal with us, Shorty.”

Hermione relented, tucking the datapad into a pocket in her robes. “You know, most in the upper Chain of Command would frown heavily on your treatment of me.”

Fives shrugged, steering her in the direction of the mess hall. “Sure, but I know you don’t mind. You love us Clones.”

“Force knows why,” she teased.

The Clone Trooper looked behind him. “You coming, Captain?”

Hermione glanced behind her as well, frowning at the look he was giving her. It wasn’t the hostile ones she’d come to expect. His expression was… She didn’t know. He looked confused, seeming to search her face for whatever he was trying to figure out. After a few moments, he shook his head, jogging to catch up with them. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Was it her imagination, or was he standing closer than before?   


* * *

“Down!”

Hermione flattened her body against the cold rock, gritting her teeth as crumbling debris hit her body. Honestly, Destroyers were kriffing menaces. Anakin had taken their usual squad with him, leaving her to finish their task and meet up after. Well, they’d finished, but these droids were doing their best to ensure they didn’t make it back to the rest of the 501st.

A Clone stood from cover, aiming to take a shot, but was taken down before he could fire.

Kriff. “How many are there?”

“Four, Sir!”

She could handle four. She unclipped her Master’s lightsaber. She was bringing it out more and more these days. “I’m heading down. Follow me when the coast is clear.”

Hermione leaped from the rock, aiming for the very top of the Destroyers shield on her way down. Her lightsaber penetrated the droid’s shield, the other coming up to block any bolts that were fired her way. She jumped to the next as soon as the first was down, repeating the process until the battlefield was quiet. The Clones with her came out of cover, making their way down the small cliff they’d been trapped behind. 

They finally caught up with the rest of the team, who had been coming to their location when they hadn’t met up at the next meeting point. Hermione gave her report to Anakin, her body starting to feel every ache and cut from the day’s skirmishes. Rex walked up to her when she was done and standing alone, helmet under his arm. 

He eyed her. “I’ve already gotten the day’s events from my men.”

She looked at their boots, trying very hard to ignore the red between them. “Then you’ll know I lost a few of them. I’m sorry.”

She felt a finger on her cheek, the slight pressure stinging. It had been cut, and she hadn’t realized it. “You didn’t escape unscathed. I’m sure you did the best you could.”

Hermione looked up, meeting Rex’s eyes. This was the first voluntary contact he’d made with her that couldn’t be explained away as performing his duty. His eyes were uncertain. “Rex…”

“We’re moving out!”

Anakin’s orders broke the bubble they were in. Rex dropped his hand. Hermione gently smiled at him before running to catch up with her fellow Jedi. “Are we leaving?”

Anakin jerked his head at the Clones. “They are. You and I have been given different orders. How do you feel about breaking into a locked-down stronghold?”

Hermione whipped her head around to face him, knew he wasn’t joking. She sighed, “It looks like that shower I was dreaming of will have to wait.”   


* * *

Hermione left the Senate building in no particular hurry or destination. She only knew she needed to get out of there.

She’d been in a meeting with Senator Organa, at his request, to discuss the war effort so that he could get a better picture of what was happening. It had ended badly. He’d shown her numbers; countless Clones lost during battles, lives of citizens dying on their home planets. Bail Organa was passionate about what he believed in. Hermione was just the person unfortunate enough to be in his vicinity today.

The Senate didn’t get it. The Jedi  _ knew _ the numbers. The Force moved through everything, was part of everyone. They didn’t have to look at reports to see the death toll was already too big. They felt  _ everything _ . Hermione had lost count of how many times her control of the Force froze during engagements with the droid army. Sometimes the death, and despair, and low morale made calling on her innate power impossible.  _ The Dark Side clouds everything.  _ She’d never understood Master Yoda’s most reinforced lecture until now.

“General.”

Hermione looked up from her musing, surprised to see Rex. He was in the Clones version of civilian clothes, a small blaster strapped to a thigh holster on his pants. After Christophsis, Hermione had been reassigned somewhere else to give Anakin some time with his new Padawan. She hadn’t encountered the 501st in weeks. She hadn’t been paying attention to anything around her, too lost in her thoughts to realize the string had appeared and stayed. “Captain. On leave?”

“The  _ Resolute _ is going through some repairs, so we’re grounded until then.” He studied her, his eyes missing nothing. “You look tired.”

Hermione shrugged, surprised he’d even bothered to comment on it. “The Council is keeping me busy. How’s Ahsoka coming along? When I left Anakin was… still acclimating.”

Rex snorted, his eyes crinkling at the corners as they filled with humor. “General Kenobi says General Skywalker is getting his due if that’s any clue.”

Her laugh was drawn out of her with that statement, Rex’s words breaking through the shroud of negativity she’d found herself in. “Oh, I wish I could see it. Rumors of Anakin’s teenage years were legendary in the temple. I often heard my Master thanking me for being a good Padawan, and not giving him gray hairs.” Her heart clenched at the thought of her former Master. He would’ve hated this war.

Rex continued his walk, Hermione falling in step next to him. “The men miss you.”

She gave him a warm grin. “I miss them too. The Council isn’t keeping me in once place for too long these days.”

“It’s wearing you out.”

“This war is wearing everyone out,” she said simply. 

Their conversation fell, both lost in their thoughts. Hermione found it nice that he’d been able to hold a conversation with her for this long. She’d even gotten a smile out of him. Maybe he’s missed her too?

“I told General Skywalker about us.”

His words stopped her, her mouth falling in surprise. “Excuse me?”

Rex scanned the crowd of people moving around them before ushering her into a nearby alley. “I needed more information on this bond we have. General Skywalker was able to give me answers.”

“I could have given you those answers.” Rex didn’t say anything, and Hermione got the message. He trusted Anakin more than her. Not surprising, really, but her chest still tightened with the information. “Alright, and did he explain it to you?”

“Enough for me to decide what to do about it.”

She sucked in a deep breath, her heart starting to pound from how he was looking at her. His hand came up to cup her cheek, his thumb rubbing the skin under her eye. His hand was rough, the firm texture sending tingles down her spine. “Rex?”

“Can I kiss you?”

Hermione nodded, her mouth lifting into a small smile as Rex wrapped his other arm around her waist. His gaze was solemn as he searched her face, holding her eyes for what seemed like hours. Then his eyes were warming, and he was leaning down and touching his lips to hers. 

* * *

They didn’t seal the bond that day. Hermione had been called in by the Council before they could spend more than a few hours together. Rex didn’t want to rush into anything, and she was okay with that. She was just happy he’d decided to stop fighting. 

But the war waged on; the 501st sent out before Hermione came back from her assignment. They’d taken to communicating when they could. She was hoping to meet up with him on their next rotation to Coruscant. She wasn’t only excited to see him. She missed the Clones she’d become close to onboard the  _ Resolute _ . Anakin hoped that the Council would see fit to assign her to the ship more often again.

She just needed to make it off this planet first.

“What’s our status, Commander?”

Commander Wolffe of the 104th was using his cybernetic eye to plan their escape. Their group, a grand total of thirty after everything was said and done, was pinned into a corner. There was plenty of cover, but the droids were closing in on them. Hermione only needed to get them to their transports. Once she did, they would be in the clear. There were only ground troops left; none equipped to take down flyers.

“We’ll have to climb out.”

She’d been afraid of that. “We’ll need to create a distraction then. They’ll start picking us off one at a time if we don’t.” 

“I’m with you, General.”

Red flickered in front of her, Hermione glancing down to her chest. They’d gotten her message. She shot Commander Wolffe a quick grin. “Relay the orders, Commander. You and I will keep them busy until backup arrives.”

“Backup, Sir?”

“Let’s go.” Hermione broke from her position, deflecting blaster bolts as she ran. As intended, the droids focused their offense on her, leaving the Clones to start making their escape. Commander Wolffe was right beside her, shooting two blasters with expert precision. 

She let the fighting instinct take over, old repetitions going through her mind. Step, swing, twirl; there was no room in her mind to process much else. 

“General!”

Commander Wolffe knocked her to the ground, a larger blast creating a hole in the dirt she’d been standing on. They jumped back up quickly, their backs to each other as they watched tanks roll forward. Hermione berated herself for not noticing them before. She was supposed to be past making the mistakes of a Padawan. 

“We’re almost through with the escape. Should we leave?”

Hermione cocked her head to the side, watching the tie to her soulmate deepen in color. “We have a chance to take these droids out.” She looked up, found what could work on the level above them. “You’ll have to trust me.” 

“What’s the plan?”

“Surrender.”

Wolffe choked on his next breath, his head turning to face her. Hermione knew what he was thinking, but all she had to do was stall. She deactivated her lightsabers, clipping them to her waist. “Throw down your blaster.”

The sound Wolffe made was a mix between a groan and protest. “Kriffing-”

“We surrender!” Hermione called out, putting her hands up in the air. “Don’t shoot!”

The robotic voice came from one of the tanks, the hatch opening to reveal a gray droid. “Drop your blasters.”

When Wolffe didn't move, Hermione fought not to sigh. “Drop them, Commander,” she ordered. 

Commander Wolffe raised his eyes to the sky in disgust but paused when he saw what she was doing. The droid army hadn't noticed her slowly lifting the boulders. Hermione knew he had when he dropped his guns without further complaint. 

The droid spoke again. “On your knees.”

“We surrendered,” Hermione protested. “Protocol dictates we be taken to command.”

The droid was silent for a moment before speaking. “We do not have orders to capture.”

Hermione shrugged. “Shame.” She let her arms fall to her sides, the giant rocks smashing into the tanks with nothing forcing them in the air. 

The droids raised their blasters but shooting from the back had them turning the other way. Wolffe picked his weapons back up, sending her a sideways glance. “The backup, Sir?”

Hermione was grinning. “Right the first time, Commander. Let's move.” 

She carved her way through the remaining droids until it was only them and the 501st. Anakin was standing next to Rex, Hermione making her way to them as soon as the fight was over. “Anakin, Captain, I wasn't sure who was close enough to receive my distress call.”

Anakin grinned. “We were on our way somewhere else. I redeployed us.”

Hermione slapped a hand to her face. “Skywalker, you know the Council hates it when you do that.”

He shrugged unapologetically. “I had a Captain who was particularly motivated to come to your rescue.” He looked over her shoulder. “Haven’t seen Wolffe in a while. I'm going to go catch up.”

Rex took off his helmet, eyes moving over her, taking everything in. “I’m glad to see you unharmed. We didn't know if we'd arrive on time.”

“It was close.” She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I had to pretend to surrender. Commander Wolffe was not pleased.”

Rex chuckled, “He wouldn't. The term itself isn't in his vocabulary.” He stepped closer to her, the closest they could get among their troops. “Tell me the truth. How are you, really? You've sounded off the last few times we talked.”

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m fine, Rex.” At his unconvinced look, she sighed, “It’s just hard. Every day this war wages on, the Dark Side grows. A Jedi can only stand seeing so much death and destruction. We’re all feeling it.”

“General Skywalker doesn’t seem to have any problems,” Rex pointed out.

That was because the man thrived on chaos. “He’s different.” Hermione shrugged. “As I said, I’ll be fine. I’ll feel better after I meditate.”

Rex nodded though he still looked worried. “I’ve heard the 104th is supposed to meet back up with General Koon. Do you have to go with them?”

She shook her head. “No, I have my ship with the transports. They were going to drop me off on Coruscant since they’ll be passing through.” She grimaced. “I have no doubt the Council will have another assignment for me once I get there.”

“Let us drop you off instead. We’re due back on the planet after we finish our previous operation. ”

Hermione arched her brow. “I wasn’t aware the 501st needed two Jedi at the moment.”

“You’re not going on the mission,” Rex told her. “You can take the time to rest. I’m sure General Skywalker won’t mind you hitching a ride.”

Her forehead wrinkled as she frowned at him. “That sounds like an order.”

“It is.” He smirked. “I’m glad the Jedi know how to take them.”

* * *

Hermione brought her starfighter out of lightspeed, connecting with Obi-Wan Kenobi’s communication channel. “Master Kenobi.”

The comm crackled to life. “Ah, Hermione. I see you have been sent to provide air support.”

“Don’t worry, Hawk and I are leading a full squadron. We’ll take care of the flyers pinning you down.” They approached the planet’s atmosphere, and the glow spread from her chest. “Anakin’s here?”

The channel was quiet for a moment. Obi-Wan’s voice was astonished when he spoke again. “I didn’t realize the two of you were so close you could sense him so easily.”

“Hmm.” Hermione didn’t know what to say to that. “We’re approaching your location.” She switched over to Hawk. “You ready?”

“As ever, General.”

“Let’s do it.” Hermione engaged the first vulture droid, blowing it to pieces before it could realize she was there. Soon, the sky was filled with Republic fighters, the area filling with blackened smoke. She searched carefully through the troops on the ground while she flew, looking for the telltale dark robes. Where he was, Rex would be.

They were surrounded by droids when she spotted them, and a tank. Hermione shook her head, seeing the two ready to take on the lot by themselves. Hadn’t they ever heard of the word retreat?

She destroyed the tank first with a couple of shots to the cannon, causing the metal to explode. She passed the two men, turning around swiftly to shoot at the battle droids. The Separatist forces surrounding them were thinned significantly, the remaining soon finding themselves on the blade of a lightsaber. Knowing other areas would need her help, she dipped her wing in acknowledgment as she passed them one more time. Anakin shot her a quick salute and a grin while Rex watched her fly away.

Hermione met back up with them after they’d evacuated the planet, all the Republic fighters sent to assist them landing on this cruiser. She was going over the damage they’d taken with Hawk when they approached. “Get the request into maintenance, Hawk. Good job out there.”

“Pleasure flying with you, General.” He saluted them all before walking away. 

“Granger,” Anakin greeted. “That was some flying out there.”

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. “That was some situation you had yourselves in.” She glanced at Rex, giving him a pleased grin. “Captain.”

His eyes were warm, his tone soft. “General.”

The other Jedi rolled his eyes. “Go on, escape. They shouldn’t need you two for a while.”

Hermione looked back at Anakin, surprised. “Skywalker…” She knew he knew about them, but they’d avoided talking about the situation. She hadn’t spoken to the Council about her found bond, after all. The political mess their government was in was making anything to do with Clones hard at the moment.

Anakin jerked his chin in the direction of a set of doors. “Go.” His eyes lowered. “I understand better than you think, Hermione. Take the time.”

She nodded, turning on her heel and walking away, Rex falling into step beside her. Her curiosity was piqued, but she found she wanted to be alone with Rex more. Once they were in the quiet hallway, Rex placed his hand at the small of her back, ushering her to his quarters. Hermione bit her lip, the anticipation filling her. Time to themselves was hard to come by, especially as the war seemed to drag on. 

As soon as they were across the threshold to his rooms, Hermione jumped. She locked her legs around his waist, arms finding their way around his neck, her mouth pressing against his. Rex blindly pressed the button to close his door, arms banding around her to keep her steady. “This armor can’t be comfortable for you,” he muttered.

“I don’t care.” Hermione grinned against his lips as his hand moved up her back, taking out the band holding her braided hair in place. “I missed you.”

“Ner ka’rta,” Rex murmured. “I missed you too.” He walked forward until they were by his bed. He sat down hard, Hermione moving her legs so that they were on either side of his thighs. She cupped his cheek with her palm, leisurely tangling her tongue with his. 

His comm beeped. “Captain Rex, you’re needed up at the bridge.”

Rex cursed, pressing a hard final kiss to her lips. “I’m sorry.”

She rubbed her nose against his, closing her eyes and just taking in the light that was him. “Don’t be. I understand.”

He sighed, brushing his lips over her forehead as he let her go. “I know. Will you come by later?”

“As long as the Council doesn’t need me to leave right away,” Hermione promised. She pulled herself off his lap, smoothing down her robes. “Come on. Let’s not give anyone reason to come looking for you.”

They made their way to the bridge, Anakin and Obi-Wan meeting them just before they went in. Obi-Wan said, “Hermione, good. The Council needs you in Felucia. Things are escalating rather badly. We’ll be deploying as reinforcements if it’s needed, but they could use some air support now.”

Hermione nodded. “Of course. I’ll leave straight away.” She shared a brief look with Rex when the Jedi Master turned away, shaking her head apologetically. 

“I’ll walk you to your ship,” Anakin offered.

Obi-Wan turned to them once more, a warning look on his face. “Anakin…”

“Relax, old man.” Anakin started walking away, Hermione following after a confused look at Master Kenobi.

“What was that about?”

Anakin shook his head, raising his brows as he looked at her. “Somehow, my old Master believes we have become too close if you get my meaning. Have any idea where he got that idea?”

Hermione blushed, resisting the urge to hunch your shoulders. “I have no idea. Maybe Master Kenobi needs to meditate, clear his head of these ideas.”

He snorted, “I’ll give up my next ship upgrade to hear you tell him that.”

She rolled her eyes. “Please. I’m not eager to anger the Master’s like you are.” She stopped by her ship. “I took a shot close to the engine down there. I was hoping it would be fixed before I set out again.”

Anakin grimaced. “Be careful out there. I have a bad feeling.”

Hermione looked at him sharply. The Jedi tried not to put so much emphasis on Anakin being the Chosen One. He was considered just another Jedi to most of them, a strong one at that. Yet, Hermione knew that when his instincts told him something was going on, people should listen. “Thanks for the heads up.”

* * *

The air battle was a mess, even after Hermione showed up with Hawk and his squad. Vulture droids were everywhere, the smoke so thick it was hard to see. She could feel it though, the death that littered the planet. The Clones, the natives; the destruction was a wound on the planet that made it hard for Hermione to breathe. She did the best she could, coordinating with Hawk to clear the droids in the air with partnered strikes.

And then two of their fighters went down.

She closed her eyes, a deep feeling telling her she wasn’t going to come out of this unscathed. “R4, patch me through to the  _ Resolute _ .”

The droid beeped nervously, Admiral Yularen’s voice filling the cockpit a moment later. “General. I take it you’ll need the reinforcements.”

Another ship went down. “We’re doing the best we can, Admiral, but there’s too many. Three of the fighters I brought with me have gone down. We-” She jerked to the left, her ship spinning to avoid the blasts she’d felt coming through the Force. Her droid made noises of alarm, only calming when she righted them. “We need you now.”

Obi-Wan’s voice replaced Admiral Yularen’s. “Can you make it to our forces on the ground, Hermione?”

She shook her head, and then remembered he wouldn’t be able to see her. “I can’t even get past all this smoke to see if we have ground forces left.” Something knocked into her side, throwing her off course. “What the kriff…”

The vulture droid knocked into her again, Hermione struggling to maintain control of her fighter. Another one hit her other side. She looked over to where she’d seen Hawk’s ship last, realized he was getting the same treatment. “Kriff, they’re boxing us in,” she muttered. She grit her teeth as they bumped her at the same time. “I need to go. Granger out.” Before she could hit the switch to disconnect, her fighter jerked forward. Smoke filled her vision. 

Hawk’s voice filled her ear. “General, you’re hit!”

“I noticed, Hawk.” Hermione glanced at the screen to her left, taking note of the red areas on the screen. “I’m going to need to set down.” The droids bashed her again, throwing her forward, her head hitting the console. “I hate these things.”

“General, what’s your status?”

Hermione startled at the sound of Rex’s voice. She hadn’t realized her ship’s communications were still connected to the  _ Resolute _ . “Rex…”

“Tell me what's happening, Hermione.”

Too informal, her mind screamed at her. This was an official channel. Her ship lurched, R4 screaming alarms in the background. “I’m hit. The vultures are ganging up on us. I need to land.” An explosion sounded beside her. Hawk’s ship started nose-diving. “Shit. Hawk, can you read me? Hawk, answer me!” She let go of the wheel. “R4, take over control!”

She didn’t wait for the affirmative, pushing her hands forward and willing the Force to reach the pilot. He was unconscious, his droid out of commission. She fought to slow his fighter down, forcing all her concentration on his ship and ignoring the voices trying to speak to her. The vulture droids hit her again, her ship’s alarm going into overdrive. 

_ There is no chaos, there is harmony. _

This was definitely chaos. Hermione’s ship started to lose velocity, her entire system in the red. She felt in her heart that she wouldn’t be able to eject in time. Even the ships comms were down now, the fighter completely dead. She closed her eyes, surrounding herself in the same power she was using on Hawk’s ship. 

Her restraints snapped as she crashed, Hermione blacking out as soon as she hit the windshield.   


* * *

Captain Rex stared at the command console when they lost communication with Hermione’s fighter. They tried hailing Hawk to no avail. It made sense.  _ Hawk, answer me! R4, take over control! _ He’d seen the Jedi do it before, concentrating all they had to perform miracles with the Force. He could only hope she had applied some of that to herself before she crashed.

General Skywalker’s hand landed on his shoulder. “We’re going into lightspeed now, Rex.”

“Yes,” General Kenobi’s voice caused him to look up. “Tell me, Captain. What is your relationship with General Granger? I’ve never known you to break formality like that before.”

“Obi-Wan, now-” Skywalker tried to intervene. 

He held up a hand. “I asked a question, Captain.”

Rex snapped to attention, taking a deep breath before answering. The Jedi were not the only two on the bridge. Everyone was paying attention to this conversation. “The General is my soulmate.”

Kenobi looked surprised, bringing his hand up to his beard as he considered Rex’s words. “I see. Certain things are starting to make sense.” His brow furrowed. “Do you see the thread, Captain?”

Rex looked down at his chest, heart unclenching at the flickering red that still emanated from him. He’d long ago learned to ignore it, only paying attention when the red was solid and unwavering. “Yes.” He closed his eyes. “She’s alive.”

“Very good.” And the General did sound pleased. “You’ll lead the search party when we land, Rex.” He sighed, “I must contact the Council. It will be quite the report.”

“Sir…” Rex shifted out of attention, scratching the back of his neck. “Hermione didn’t want the Council knowing about our bond yet.” Or the Senate.

“Understandable,” Obi-Wan allowed. “Yet the Council must know what is going on with our Knights. Do not worry, Captain. Neither of you should be reprimanded for this. Soulmates are the will of the Force, after all.”

“Huh,” Anakin murmured, a thoughtful look on his face. “That was not how I expected that to go.”

Rex was in no mood to joke around with his brothers; his thoughts centered on Hermione as he briefed those he’d picked for the search party. By now, the revelation of his relationship with Hermione was spread through the cruiser. He knew by how serious his brothers looked. They solemnly accepted his orders, his usual jokers making no comments or trying to lighten the mood.

Fives slapped a hand on his back when they felt the  _ Resolute _ leave hyperspace. “We’ll find her, Rex, and Hawk. Then we’ll get to rib our brother about being shot down by a bunch of clankers while you sneak off with the General.” He wagged his brows, a glint of humor in his eyes.

It seemed there was time for jokes after all. “I’ll hold you to it,” Rex responded. 

He watched the red string thicken into something solid as soon as they entered the atmosphere. The transport shuddered, the sounds of battle overtaking the quiet muttering of his squad. General Skywalker looked out through the slats in the doors, his hand gripping the handle hanging from the ceiling. “Kriff, they never stood a chance.” 

Rex stiffened. General Kenobi sighed in exasperation, shooting Skywalker a look. “Your tact is as atrocious as ever, Anakin.” The transport landed harshly. “You’re up, Captain.”

He nodded, giving his men the signal to follow him as soon as the doors opened. The planet looked like hell, the signs of war evident. There was fire everywhere, the smoke Hermione couldn’t see through heavy in the air. He blocked it all out, keeping his eyes on the red leading him in the right direction. 

Thinking back, he couldn’t believe he’d wasted time denying what they had instead of embracing it. If there was one thing Rex had learned in this war, it was that your time could always run out. Survival wasn’t a guarantee. Every day they were sent into the battlefield could be their last. 

Well, he was done waiting. He was done taking his time. 

He didn’t have much to offer her. None of them even knew what was to be their fate once the war ended, but he’d give her what he could. Rex knew she’d accept it. From the start, all she’d wanted to do was be with him.

They spotted the wreckage of a fighter, but it wasn’t Hermione’s. Rex didn’t stop, knowing one of the General’s would take men and check it out. But that meant he was close. She’d gone down soon after Hawk did.

Finally, after another ten minutes of wading through dense brush, he spotted her. He broke into a sprint, dropping his pistols to the ground on the way. She was half in, half out of her shattered windshield. Red dripped from a cut on her forehead, glass and dirt tangled in her hair. The top half of her droid was missing, one wing of her fighter gone entirely. 

General Skywalker stopped him before he could pull her out. “Let me.” Waving his hand, he gently lifted Hermione off the ship, laying her on the ground in front of Rex. 

Rex knelt down, brushing curls out of her face. “Hermione.”

Kix knelt down on her other side. “Time for me to do my job, Captain. Don’t try to wake her yet.”

He held back as his brother worked, listening lightly to the report that Hawk was alive. He grabbed hold of her hand, squeezing softly. “Good job, Cyar'ika.”

Kix relaxed after a while, giving his Captain an encouraging nod. “She can be moved now. It’ll be the Bacta tank for her, but she should make a full recovery.”

Rex internally sighed in relief, bringing Hermione into his arms and standing up. His squad kept to a tight formation around them. He hugged her close to his chest, letting his helmet touch the top of her head briefly. She was safe. She was alive. 

And as soon as she was better, he was stealing her, war be damned.

* * *

Hermione opened her eyes, sight taking in the familiar room. A figure studied a holopad from a chair next to the bed, his form out of armor for once. “Rex?”

He looked up quickly, his eyes lighting with relief. “Hermione.”

She sat up, rolling her neck and pushing curls away from her face. “What am I doing in your room?”

Rex set his holopad down, coming to sit by her on the bed. “Do you remember what happened?”

She cocked her head to the side. “Yes… Is Hawk okay? I thought I felt his fighter crash as safely as it could before I lost control.”

“Better than you. He didn’t have to spend any time in Bacta.”

She grinned sheepishly at the tone of his voice. “Is that why my skin feels dry? Bacta is never fun.” She frowned. “That doesn’t explain how I’m in your room. The Healers never let Jedi go so easily once they have us.”

Rex shook his head. “Have a lot of experience, do you?” He sighed, running a hand through his short blond hair. “The General’s let me bring you here to rest. You’ve only been out of the tank for about twelve hours.”

Against protocol, but since when had Anakin followed the rules when they didn’t suit him? She paused, her lip finding its way between her teeth. “Did you say General’s?”

He nodded. “General Kenobi knows, the whole ship knows. It’s likely the Council has been informed by now.”

Hermione sucked in a breath. “I see.”

His eyes lowered. “I didn’t exactly care who knew once we lost contact with you. General Kenobi said the Council wouldn’t punish us for this.”

She sensed the wariness coming off of him. She moved forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her face into his neck. “It wasn’t the Council I was worried about; you know that. But that’s okay. We’ll figure it out as we go along.” She sighed, “I’m glad it was your voice with me before the comms went out.”

Rex pulled her as close to him as he could get her. “I don’t think I’ve ever feared anything more than thinking you were gone when we lost contact.” He pressed his lips to her hair, not even minding the flyaways that tickled his nose. “Only our string kept me from losing it.”

“It sure comes in handy,” she murmured. “How long do we have before one of us has to report somewhere?”

“I’m not telling anyone you’re awake until I have to.” His hand skimmed up her back and into her hair. Hermione shivered from the sensation. “General Skywalker told me to take care of my soulmate. I intend to.”

She sighs as new feelings wash over her. Warmth, relief, love, the rising hint of lust; Rex’s emotions surround her until they’re all she feels. “Rex…”

He tugs on her hair gently, Hermione lifting her face at the silent request. Her eyelids flutter as his mouth descends, his tongue taking possession of hers when their lips met. Hermione let him set the pace, enjoying the relaxed tangle of tongues, the feel of his body pressed against hers. He kisses her like they have all the time in the world, like there will be no one interrupting them. Hermione sincerely hoped he wasn’t needed, that everyone would be fine without their beloved Captain for a while.

Rex shifts, keeping his arms around her as he lays her back on the bed. He moves his mouth down her chin and over her neck, pressing open-mouthed kisses to her skin. Hermione lets her head fall the side, moaning softly when he settles between her thighs. She runs one hand down his back, the other going to the first button of his shirt and flicking it open. His mouth comes up from their place at her throat, eyes searching hers, their breaths mixing. She undoes another button.

Rex sits up swiftly, pulling her with him until she’s straddling his lap. Hermione kisses him hard, using both hands to open the rest of his shirt and push it off of him. He’s lifting the bottom of her shirt, breaking their kiss only to move the material over her head and onto the floor. Hermione relishes the feel of his hands on her bare skin as he closes the distance between their mouths again, her fingers running over every inch of his chest and abdomen. They trail down to the opening of his pants, but she pauses, lifting her mouth to look at him.

“Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum,” Rex whispers, touching his forehead to hers.

Hermione doesn’t know what that means, but she doesn’t need to. She feels it from the intensity of his emotions through the Force. It’s enough to take her breath away. “I love you too.”

Their movements are hurried now, Rex impatient as he tries to undress her completely while kissing her. Hermione tenses in anticipation when he’s between her legs again. This was the moment they would seal their bond for the rest of their lives. There was no going back after this. 

The red string bursts from their chests when he enters her, wrapping around both of them. Hermione doesn’t notice, lost in Rex’s eyes as he moves inside of her. She knows there’s a faint glow surrounding them, can feel their hearts starting to beat as one, but all she can concentrate on is Rex and how he feels. Her legs are wrapped around his waist, urging him to thrust harder as she rises to meet him. His hands link with hers, her arms moving over her head. 

Rex fiercely kisses Hermione when the pleasure is too much, the two groaning their completion loud enough for any passing Clone to hear them. The Force responds to Hermione’s orgasm, the chair and holopad lifting off the ground and slamming back down in quick succession. The bond settles in the middle of it all, the red light disappearing for good. Rex feels Hermione’s emotions slam into him, causing him to shudder in her arms.

He rolls off of her, wrapping his arm around her and bringing her to his body. He buries his nose in her hair, inhaling deeply in contentment. Hermione nuzzles his chest, plastering herself to his side. She can feel their bond inside of her, complete now and forever a part of both of them.

“This feeling,” Rex whispered. “Is this what the Force feels like to you when you sense emotions?”

“Sort of,” Hermione answered. “This connection is deeper, but still possible because of the Force.” She sighed, pecking the skin beneath her mouth. “I never want to leave your arms or this room. How about we spend the rest of the war in this bed?”

Rex chuckled, “Impossible. Too many people would miss us.” He gripped her chin, tilting her head up so that he could press a firm kiss to her lips. “I, for one, am not leaving your side until they make me.”

Hermione grinned. “Good, because I am far from done with you, Captain.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I might write more oneshots about these two. I had sooo many scenes I wanted to include, but this fic would have passed 10k if I did.
> 
> Check me out on Tumblr or Twitter: MWolfe13


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